Shearing-machine.



G.KNAUS.

SHEARING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED FBB.5, 1910.

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Patented Dec. 13,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, UNIT Per OFFICE.

GOTTFRID KNAUS, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SELLERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SHEARING-MACHINE.

Application filed February 5, 1910.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, GOTTFRID KNAUS, a citizen of the United4 States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shearing-h/Iachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine for shearing or cutting sheets or strips of metal; the machine being particularly designed and adapted, as will be seen from the following description, for shearing or severing tie plates.

A very common form of tie plate is formed on its upper surface with a rib against which the flange of the railroad rail, which it is designed to sustain, abuts. Plates of this sort are rolled in long strips, with the ribs extending transversely of the strip. The strips are then run through a shearing machine and cut into the separate plates. It will be understood that the strips of metal are originally rolled lengthwise, it being desirable that the grain of the metal should run crosswise of the plate, that is to say, crosswise with respect to the rail, and that the ribs on the upper surface of the plates are formed by this process of rolling. It is a matter of common experience that in thus rolling a long strip of metal so as to produce 0n the surface thereof a series of transverse ribs, it is impossible to prevent a certain amount of slip between the rolls and the metal being operated upon, and as a result of this and of other causes perhaps, it is never possible to locate the ribs at absolutely uniform distances apart. From this circumstance a difliculty arises when the strips are put through the shearing machine because, obviously, if-the cuts are made at equal distances on the strip, they may not, and ordinarily will not, be properly positioned with respect to the ribs, with the result that a certain number of the plates turned out will not have the proper form and contour. For example, itmay well happen that as the process of rolling goes on, the distance between successive ribs will be gradually diminished from the cause above noted. If such be the case, it will follow that if the cuts are placed at a uniform distance from each other it will not be long before the plates are cut olf -at such distances from the ribs as to make them useless for the purpose for Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

serial No. 542,315.

which they are designed. It is also usual to form tie plates with their edges beveled. rlhis is done by rolling the strip of metal, from which they are cut, with a succession of transverse depressions, the cuts which sever the strip into the separate plates being intended to be made centrally of these de pressions. It is clear that if, as above stated, the rolling process is not uniform, the strip can not be severed at equal distances if the cuts are to be properly positioned with respect to the depressions so as to give the proper bevel to the edges of the plates.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a shearing or cutting machine for operating upon a strip or body of metal formed as above set forth, which shall have means whereby the position of the successive cuts may be determined in each case by the position of the ribs respectively adjacent thereto or some other series of recurrent conformations on the surface of the strip. In this way the cutting process is made to conform to the inequalities of the rolling process, with the result that plates of substantially, though not accurately uniform character are turned out.

Vfhile the machine ofmy invention is particularly designed for the shearing of tie plates and is specially adapted for that operation, the machine might be used for shearing or severing articles of different character where similar conditions prevail and similar difficulties have tobe overcome.

A further object of the invention is to provide the shearing machine with means which is lin-ought to bear upon the surface of the metal operated upon when the cut is being made, so as to prevent the same from being' tilted on the die block by the force of the shearing blade.

rlhe invention has for further object such other new and improved constructions and arrangements in shearing machines, and particularly in machines for shearing tie -plates or the like, as will be described in this specilication and particularly set forth in the claims appended thereto.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a rear elevation of a portion of a common form of shearing machine provided, however, with the improvements of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, and Figs. et and 5, detail vertical sections taken through a portion of the shearing apparatus, the movable parts being shown in different positions in the two figures.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

.teferring to the drawings, 10 represents a shearing head which is reciprocated by any desired means, the head being shown as supported and guided in the guide 11. My present invention has no concern with the mechanism for driving' the head., nor with its construction other than as will be hereinafter described. Therefore, these familiar features of a metal shearing machine have not been shown nor will. they be described in detail.

The head 10 is formed on its cutting face with a dove-tailed slot in which is arranged the hard steel shearing blade. 12. This blade operates against a hard steel stationary die 18, similarly arranged in a dovetailed slot in a die block 1&1 which is supported upon a bed plate 15 and is preferably reinforced against the lateral thrust of the head by the web 16. lf desired, the die block, bed plate and web may form one integral structure. The die block is preferably formed with a channel 17 to receive the strip of metal 18 (Figs. 4L and upon which the machine operates.

The means for gaging or determining the position of the successive cuts with respect to the characteristic conformations of the several plates respectively adjacent thereto, that is, in the embodiment of my invention shown, in respect to the adjacent ribs on the upper surface of the strip, consists of a bar 19 which extends across the upper surface of the die block and is preferably formed with the elbow-shaped arms 20, the extremities of which are pivoted to either side of the bed plate 15, as indicated at 21. The bar 19 is preferably provided with the hard steel strip 22 bolted to the bar by the bolts 23. The strip of metal 1S, which is to be cut into die plates, is moved across the die block 111 through the slot 17. The bar 19 rests upon the top of the strip and as the strip is moved through the machine in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 4 and 5, the bar will successively ride over the ribs 24 on the strip. The strip may be carried through the machine by any desired means. It may be so moved by hand. The head carrying the shearing blade may be reeiprocated at uniform intervals or its movements may be timed and controlled by the operator, this depending upon the particular character of the machine to which the devices of my invention are applied. ln either case the strip will be first carried far enough through the machine so that the pivoted stop bar 19 will ride over the drop back of one of the ribs 24v. The .movement of the strip will then be reversed so'as to bring the substantially vertical face 25 of the rib against the hard metal strip 22 of the bar and then the cut will be made by the shearing blade Al2 which descends and shears the strip against the die 13. ln this f'ay the position of each cut is determined relative to the adjacent. rib on the surface of the plate, so that the cutting process is accon'nnodated to the necessarj7 inequalities of the rolling process with respect to the position of the ribs or other characteristic conformations of the plates. The difference between one plate and another, due to the imperfection of the rolling process, will not ordinarily be appreciable. So long as the plates are severed, in each case, at the proper distance from the ribs, they will be. for all practical intents and purposes, uniform. lt will be observed that in this way the cuts may be accurately located at the lowest point in the depressions 2G in the strip so that the bevels at the edges ot the plates are perfect'. ln order to prevent the thrust of the head and of its shearing blade 12 from tilting the strip of metal on the die block, l provide the head with means which is adapted to bear against the strip rearwardly of the place where the cut is made. For example, a heavy pin or rod 27 may be screwed into the under side of the rear portion 2S of the head, this pin or rod being of such a length that it will bear against the strip during the shearing operation. By means of its threaded connection with the head the rod 27 is adjustable to accommodate for wear.

As modifications of the apparatus shown and described will readily occur to persons skilled in the art which will be within the scope of my invention l do not limit myself to the particular constructions, devices, forms or the design of parts shown,

l claim:

1. ln a machine for shearing a body of metal having on the surface thereof a series of conformations of substantially uniform character, the combination with a reciproeating shearing blade of a gravity device past which the body of metal is fed forwardly and which engages successively with said conformations so as to position the successive cuts made by said shearing blade relative to the said conformations respecn tively adjacent thereto.

2. lna machine for shearing a body of metal having on the surface thereof a series 'of conformations of substantially uniform character, the combination with a recipro-A cating shearing blade, of a pivoted stop bar under which the body of metal is fed forwardly and which is brought into engagement successively with said conformations so as to position the successive cuts made by said shearing blade relative to the said conormations respectively adjacent thereto.

3. In a machine for shearing a strip or' metal having thereon a succession of transverse ribs, the combination With a support over which said body is moved, of a reciprocating shearing blade, and a stop device which is pivoted to said support and against which said ribs may be successively abutted so as to position the successive cuts relatively thereto.

L. In a machine for shearing a strip of metal having thereon a succession of transverse ribs, the combination With a die block, of a reciprocating head, a shearing blade on said head and a stop member pivoted to the die block against Which said ribs may be successively abutted so as to position the successive cuts relative thereto.

5. In a machine for shearing a strip of metal having thereon a succession of trans verse ribs, the combination with a die block having a slot on its upper surface through Which said body is moved of a reciprocating head, a shearing blade on said head and a gravity stop pivoted to the die block against Which said ribs are made to successively abut so as to position the successive cuts with respect thereto.

6. In a machine for operating at intervals upon a body of metal having on the surface thereof a series of conformations of substantially uniform character, the combination with a reciprocating tool, of a pivoted gravity stop Which is adapted to be engaged successively by said body of metal at said conformations so as to position the successive operations of said reciprocating tool With respect to said conformations.

7. In a machine for operating at intervals upon a body of metal formed on its upper surface with a series of transverse projections, the combination with a reciprocating tool, of a die block over Which said body of metal is fed, and a gravity stop adapted to be engaged by said transverse projections comprising a bar extending across said die block and formed With arms by means of which it is pivoted to said die block, substantially as described.

GOTTFRID KNAUS.

I/Vitnesses H. GAMYLE, P. I-I. TRUMAN. 

